A journey of fools- Star Wars story
by TinkerTanker44432
Summary: Star Wars, and all it's respected characters belongs to Disney/George Lucas, and this is merely meant for entertainment. Enjoy!
1. Then the Empire arrived

Another day in paradise.  
That's all I can think about as I lead my squad through the trench weaving through other soldiers going about their business moving munitions, and other supplies. We march in silence, and I stop by a sign to get my bearing.  
The sign says: "Welcome to grid 442: munitions"  
I pull up a holographic map of the area, and study it. I think to myself. I'm wanting to be in grid 432, so if I'm in grid 442 then grid 432 is… here.  
I close the map, and gesture for the squad to continue, and we continue marching forward. I'm just barely tall enough to look over the trench, and usually this would be a problem with snipers, but not since we've gotten the ray shields up. I look at the Rebel's trench line about 1.5km away, and I couldn't help but remember my first time seeing those trenches around 12 years ago. It was awe inspiring, but now I don't care.  
Shortly after the Clone Wars started my planet was fast to start fighting each other. One side wanted to join the CIS, and the other wanted to join the Republic. It didn't matter in the end. Neither the Republic, of the CIS could care about us. People from back then told me that our planet was to no use for either side. We had nothing special about us. All throughout the Clone Wars we killed each other for nothing, and we continue that legacy. Seventeen years of gruesome Civil War, neither side gaining ground that mattered, neither side really having a real reason to fight, but no one wanted to stop fighting, not until the other guys stopped first. Whatever.  
My squad, and I march for a while more. I read the grid numbers on signs as we pass them. 441, 440, 439, ect. Until we finally arrive to grid 432, and I order my squad to dig in as I sit on a discarded crate, and pull out a cigar. I rest my blaster between my legs as I pull out my lighter, but It's out of juice I look from one soldier to another, and I see my weapon specialist mounting an HMG, and I say. "Yo. Nopaew. You got a lighter?"  
He silently digs in his flak jacket, then goes digging through the many pouches that cover his armored chest, then he finally digs one out, and tosses it to me.  
I sit there smoking my cigar wondering if this was going to be another silent day with the only thing happening is a some strat rocket flying over head, of some form of ordnance blowing up on the ray shield. Who knows.  
My squad was either peeking over the trench, of sitting playing sabacc, and I pass the time by judging their faces, trying to figure out where they come from, but when they're just sitting there waiting for something to happen they look so… empty, only the fresh meats have any sense of who they were before they joined, but if they live it won't last. That's not what gets me though. It's the look they give me when they return the gaze. They all know my reputation, and it's one of the many reasons they're as empty as they are. They're already counting the minutes.  
A robotic voice behind me causes me to jump. "Orders Commander."  
After adjusting my helmet I gaze up at the faceplate of an old B1 Battle Droid. I let out a sigh. "I don't know… Stand there, and wait for something to happen like the rest of us. You know the drill Gazer."  
"Roger roger." He doesn't move, but just gazes out into space, not really focusing on anything which is odd for most of the refurbished B1 droids in the army which were either bought of merchants, or some of the few B1 droids that the CIS actually sent to this planet. Gazer was one of them, and we found him in the mud, and in good order. Short battery charge later , and he was up and running, and this was the end result of all that.  
My thoughts are cut short as I feel the ground slightly shake from an explosion, and after standing up I could see the smoke off in the distance, that was when someone yelled through my helmet's comlink saying. "The ray shield is down! I repeat the Ray shield is down!" And I didn't have a moment to think as an old Clone Wars era Venator comes out of hyperspace, and begins to bombard our position.  
After getting tossed around a bit, and a sea of dirt tossed over me it stops, but it only signaled the opening of Hell's flood gates.  
I yell out to my squad. "Defend this position!", and I line up along the trench wall aiming my rifle, and I'm surprised to see all squad members, including Gazer, lining up with me, as I hear the voices of Rebel soldiers charging. Out of the smoke their vehicles come charging, only to be stopped by our anti-vehicle turrets, but those vehicles were not meant to break the line, only provide a means of cover for their troopers.  
I see them already gathering behind the burning wrecks of the vehicles, and seconds latter the air is filled with blaster fire as they open up.  
I yell out. "Return fire!" and I squeeze the trigger. My blaster kicks against my shoulder as I spray the air with more blaster bolts, as our artillery begins to pound them, but with most of our artillery pieces destroyed in the bombardment they did little to stop the Rebel advance, even now they're pushing past the still burning wrecks, and using the craters from the artillery as cover, but I don't let up, and I don't let my squad let up, then all hell broke loose.  
Without the ray shield protecting us Rebel Snipers were now able to unleash their years of training, and experience on us. It was time for the snipers to play, it was time for soldiers to die, it was time to live up to my name.  
One by one my squadmates were shot, and killed. All of them except Nopaew, Gazer, and me. They were my last squad mates, but it was not to last.  
I stood up to fire off my shots when I took a sniper round to my shoulder, and chest plate knocking me on my ass.  
Gazer saw me go down, and said. "Commander down, cover me!"  
"Copy that!" Nopaew still mounting his HMG began to fire towards the direction the sniper shots were coming from hoping to keep them suppressed.  
Gazer made his way towards me, and I tried to signal him off trying to tell him my armor took the shots, but he ignored my orders, and kept coming towards me, and that was when a Rebel artillery shot landed right on him sending metal bits flying everywhere. Seconds later Nopaew gets concentrated on, and gets hit multiple time, and he just fell backwards off his HMG as I managed to stand up.  
My helmet's HUD system began to malfunction so I tore off my helmet, and I limp my way towards Nopaew who I could see was still breathing,  
I tumbled to his side, and I took his hand. He was crying, just like I was all those years ago. Rebels soldiers began to enter my trench, and some aimed their blaster at me as the rest of their comrades flooded further into the trench.  
I held his bloodied hand, and looked into his eyes. I then noticed he was trying to saw something but he was to quiet, so I lowered my ear to his lips.  
"You… you must be used to this by now? Right? Cursed Survivor?" His other hand patted my breast plate, right on the engraving I made. 'Cursed Survivor', and under it, four tally marks each representing a squad I've lost.  
His hand then went limp, and the focus faded from his eyes as he let out one last breath.  
I sat there, three Rebel soldiers circling me aiming their blaster at my head. I sat there as I rubbed the spot where my hidden blaster pistol was, and realized just how much I hated this war.  
They were now coming closer, and one said. "Hands up! You're outnumbered! Just surrender!"  
My hand wrapped around the pistol's handle, but right before I could pull it out another Rebel Soldier said. "What's that! It's… IT'S IMPERIALS!" The Empire as arrived.  
I looked up towards the sky as I saw an Imperial Star Destroyer come out of hyperspace right in front of the Rebel Venator. I watched as it ripped apart the Rebel ship sending it's ragged remains hurtling towards the planet. I watched as Imperial gunships, and TIEs fill the sky. I still watched as Imperial StormTroopers flooded the trench massacring the Rebel soldiers leaving no survivors. I watched as one StormTrooper walked over to me, and offered his hand to me, and I took it.  
I had to ask. "What's your name?"  
"TK-0705."  
I found that funny. I couldn't even remember my identification number. "I'll simply call you TK." and he handed me a blaster.  
"Works for me. What's yours?"  
I smile as I check the blaster. "Nickie. Commander Nickie."  
"Well Commander Nickie. We have work that needs to be done."  
I watched as five squads under my command were killed by the Rebels. Then the Empire arrived, and all that changed.


	2. It's finally over

Even with the Imperial's help my planet was still ravaged by war for another five years! But that does not matter any longer. As I walk through the crowd of rejoicing soldiers all happy for the end to the needless bloodshed, and most importantly: happy to have survived the war.  
My squad is yet again dead, and I've carved an extra two tally marks on my armored breastplate under the word "Cursed Survivor".  
\I should be happy as well, and I know my squads(some of them anyways) would want that of me, but I can not even crack a smile, and any attempt only makes me… I don't know.  
I do have to admit it's a very different scene now. The barracks are alive in music, and movements, the HQ is as well, and the space portis a buzz with ships of all nature coming to, and fro the planet's surface and it happens to be my destination.  
As I walk I look at what I'm holding: an Imperial StormTrooper helmet… Tk 0705's to be more precise. I still remember the day he came to my planet, just as i've lost yet another squad, and I was ready to simply end it all in a blaze of glory. That was until he, and his men came in, and put a stop to that, and helped me through the next 5 years. TK was my longest squadmate.  
I tuck the helmet back under my arm, and continue walking towards the spaceport.  
Not many people bother me. They're either too busy partying, of they're to busy keeping people from partying too much, and I slip through the crowd unnoticed.  
I finally arrive to the spaceport, and I lock onto the first ship I see. I don't know it's class, but judging by the marking on it's hull, it's a relief ship, and it seems to be getting ready to leave. Good.  
I walk over to the ship, it's shaped like a large letter "C", and a cargo ramp is lowered in the middle with a stack of crates around the door, and a young bald man sorting threw them wearing a relief uniform, and holding a datapad. He notices me as I walk up to him.  
"May I help you?" He seems worried, and he should be as some soldiers became… rather rowdy after the end, and have been drunkenly attacking cargo ships, and others of the sort.  
I stop about a meter away from him. I keep my hands visible as his hand not holding the datapad as going into his cloak, probably where he keeps his blaster. I nod, and say. "Yes… Is this ship leaving?"  
The man looks confused, and says. "Yes.. Uh yeah this ship will be leaving shortly I just have to go through these-"  
"Are you it's captain?"  
"...Yes?"  
"Is there any other crewmembers?"  
He's now taken his blaster out, but did it in a manner as to hide doing so, and he's not yet pointing at me…  
He then clearly lies, and the hand that's holding the blaster is shaking, but he's still trying to hid the blaster from me. "Yeah. I travel with a Wookie, and several other really big guys. They'll be here soon, so-"  
I decide to cut to the chase. "Look you can cut me the bull shit all I want is a ride off this rock o? I can pay you in my service, but all I want is to leave."  
He get's cut off gaurd, and doesn't seem to know what to say, but then he says. "Umm… is that… is that alright with your Commanding Officer? I mean are you assigned to me, of something?"  
I shift TK'S helmet which is still under my arm, and say. "He doesn't need to worry about this." I then toss him a fairly good sized bag of credits, and he almost drops the blaster catching it.  
His face lightens up when he sees the amount in it. "Oh my… this.. This is a lot of money…" he then looks back to me, and starts heading for the ship. "Come on know. We best be going underway. Welcome aboard the MoonRay!"  
As I follow him up the ramp I say. "What about the crates don't you need them?"  
"Hmm? No. They were unloaded, and I was just making sure I got everything I needed unloaded, unloaded. If you'll follow me to the cockpit we'll get underway."  
When we get into the cockpit I sit next to him in the co-pilot's seat, and I begin the launch prep without even bothering to ask him first, and he doesn't seem to bothered that I am.  
In minutes the ship is airborne, and once we were passed the Imperial Star Destroyer, and away from the planet's gravity well we made the jump to hyperspace.  
While in hyperspace he counted the credits I gave him, and I just sat there looking at TK'S helmet. That's when he asks me.  
"What's with the bucket?"  
"It belonged to a friend. I couldn't leave it behind… felt like I would be leaving him behind."  
"Fair enough, just don't go showing around the Galaxy, not everyone are fans of the Empire. Especially the Rebel Alliance… You do know who they are right? I mean I've been to planets were they didn't even know what the Empire was."  
"No I know who they are. TK, and his buddies would talk about them from time to time." I then stand not wanting to go into my life's history. "Which way to the crew chambers?"  
"To the left, first door on the right. They're a shower in it you can wash up, and I'm sure I have some clothing in there, I mean it's been awhile since I had a female crew member, so you'll have to stick with men's clothing unless you brought some of your own."  
I didn't even think about getting anything. As soon as I had TK's helmet I left. "No it'll be alright. Captain."  
He chuckled. "Don't call me that, it sounds weird. Call me Yug. You?"  
"Nickie. Comma-... Just Nickie." He nods I head for the crew chambers. 'Just Nickie'... I'll have to get used to that. I look down at TK's helmet, and I don't know why, but I start feeling… happy, and I start skipping down the hallway. I know exactly why, and it sounds weird, but just looking at TK'S helmet it reminds me that he would want me to be happy, and to live my life. Not be saddened by his death. He even told me so. So from now on I will be happy. Not for myself, but for the memory of TK.


	3. Hiring some muscle

The MoonRay ducked, and weaved through turbolaser fire as Yug desperately tried to shake off their pursuers.  
Nickie (woken up by the sound of battle) hurried to the cockpit. "Yug! What's going on?"  
Yug was to focused on the controls to look back at Nickie, but he replied. "Someone is chasing us!"  
Nickie clutched the back of Yug's chair to keep herself from slamming against the cockpit's walls as the ship rocked side to side. "No dip I can see that, but who are they!? Are they Imperial?"  
Yug's hands were fastened hard on the controls, and his voice sounded strained. "No! We haven't done anything to get them to come after us! Especially with lethal force! Who ever they are we've psit them off on the way from here, all the way back to your homeworld!"  
Nickie still didn't like that word. Yug, please don't call it that. We both know that planet is no home of mine."  
Yug swung the ship to the hard right, and said. "I know, but I don't know what else to call it!" he then swung the ship hard left. "Who ever they are we've really made them angry! Can you think of anything that we did that could have made them angry?"  
Nickie had to hold on for dear life as Yug took the ship in a hard dive before leveling off, and continuing to evade turbolaser fire. "Yug all you do is bring your relief supplies around, and do your doctor stuff, and all I do is act as your incompetent bodyguard, and sometimes assistant! I don't see why anyone would want to kill us! Maybe they've mistaken us for someone else?"  
Yug shook his head, and Nickie could see a vane in his neck pop out. "Nope!... Well actually I don't know they haven't responded to any of our hails! If they have mistaken us for someone else, they don't care!"  
The Moonray then shook violently, and the lights flickered.  
Yug shouted out. "Dammit these shields are not meant to withstand that kind of firepower! We're down to 17% One more shot, and we're dead!"  
Nickie gleefully looked at Yug. "Well if you added those upgrades then we wouldn't be in this mess!"  
The ship shook again from another near miss. "Nickie I've told you! Half of those upgrades were illegal! These guys alone are giving me a hand full, I don't need an Imperial Star Destroyer chasing us!"  
"But Yug this ship doesn't even have weapons! How are we supposed to fight back!?"  
The ship shook again, and Yug spun the ship on it's axis which managed to pry Nickie away from Yug's seat, and send her tumbling to the floor.  
As she brushed some hair out of her face she said. "That does it!" She rushed Yug, and yanked him out of the pilot's seat, and plunked down in his place, as Yug protested. "Nickie! What are you doing?!"  
"Saving our butts! My butt to be more exact." Now that the ship's controls were in the hands of Nickie the twists, and turns that Yug was attempting to do felt smoother, and there were no were as many close calls now. As they finally began to get some distance between them, and pursuing ship Nickie said to Yug. "Plot us a course out of here, and in the meantime scan that ship! I want to know who these people are!"  
Yug didn't protest this time, and quickly got the courses set, and got the quick scanner up, and running. "Alright got a plot set for an Imperial Outpost. I be these people won't follow us there, and scanning is… about.. Done!"  
Nickie took a quick glance back at Yug, and said. "Well? Who are they?"  
"...In fear for your life, as well as my own… I'll let you see when we get out of here."  
Nickie smiled as the stars turned to long lines, and they jumped to hyperspace.  
No that they were hyperspace Nickie set the controls to autopilot, and walked over to see what was the big deal. "So who were thouse guys?" Nickie read over the data, and she couldn't believe her eyes.  
"I know those classes of ships!"  
Yug nodded. "Figured you would… Sooo who does it belong to? All the scanner picked up was the basic schematics of that ship, weapons, shielding, engines, and such, but we know nothing else about it, of who it belongs to."  
Nickie, tried to remember, but shrugged. "I don't know… Maybe… uhhh...Space wizards?"  
"Edi? No they're all gone, and-"  
"NO! Space Wizards are not the same as Jedi!"  
"What's the difference?"  
She glared at Yug as if he should know. "One group i called Jedi', and the other are called 'Space Wizards'! Also the Jedi carry those laser swords thingys. Space Wizards just use their special mind abilities."  
"Nickie?"  
"Yeah?"  
"Stop playing holo-games ok? They're ruining your brain."  
"NEVER!" she then ran out of the cockpit. Yup stood there for about 30 seconds before Nickie came back. "Back to the problem at hand." She then turned her gaze to the flow of data. "Well I don't remember these Guys' name, but I do know one thing: This isn't the last we've seen of them, and we won't make it out the next time, plus that ship back there… isn't even their largest. OH! That reminds me." She then slugs Yug in the shoulder. "You're welcome!"  
Yug rubbed his shoulder, and said. "For wat!?"  
"For saving our butts! If I let you drive we'd be space dust by now! You're a bad driver."  
Yug just continued to rub his arm, but then he said. "Any ways… What do you meant that ship back there wasn't their largest?"  
Nickie sat down in one of the passenger seats behind the co-pilot's chair. "Well my dear Friend 'Yug' that ship that was chasing us was a Dreadnought-Class Heavy Cruiser. Old design, but still very powerful for it's size of 600 meters. I've read Imperial reports stating they have an Old Clone Wars era CIS Providence class dreadnought! The big version!"  
"There's two versions? My history teacher missed to mention that."  
"Yeah the standard model was about 1.08 kilometers, but the larger version was around 2.3 of 2.5 kilometers! It's crazy powerful!"  
Yug stroked his small chin beard, then said. "Alright I'm now considering those upgrades."  
"YES!"  
"But as a last resort. In the meantime we need to hire some muscle."  
"From where?"  
The MoonRay then came out of hyperspace, and before them was a small Imperial Outpost but it wasn't the outpost they were seeing, it was the massive Space station behind it.  
Yug pointed at the station, and said. "There. Telos IV. I'm sure we'll find someone there." Yug stood up, but Nickie pushed him back down.  
She gave him a wink, and said. "I'll drive."  
After the MoonRay was docked, and we were on the station we began our hunt for some muscle. At first they passed through residential, a flea market until the found what they were looking for: A Cantina.  
When we walked in Yug said. :"Let me handle this. I'm an expert at talking to other humanoids." He then walked up to the bartender who was a short Female Zebrak. Nicie couldn't tell what they were saying as they were too far away. At first it seemed like it was going fine, then the Zebrak started getting angry shouting something at him. Yug said something back nodding, then retreated back to Nickie. "What the hell was that all about?"  
Yug shrugged. "She said she doesn't know what I meant, and when I tried to clarify she must have heard me wrong, and got angry. Wat now?"  
Nickie nodded, and then said as she rolled up her sleeves. "Let me handle this."  
"Nickie don't do anything you'll regret!"  
Nicie walked up to the bartender looking like she was looking for a fight. The bartender just stared at Nickie. They sat there for a few minutes before Nickie said. "Listen, me and my comrade are looking for some Muscle, if you know what I mean, for hire. Hear anything like that just send them over to us." She then pointed at an empty table. 'We'll be over there."  
She the walked over to the table, and waved Yug over. She gave the waitress bot her order as Yug sat down, and politely declined. 'What happened?"  
"I told her what's up, then came over here to sit down, and wait."  
Yug shrugged, and said. "Seems simple enough."  
Hey ended up waiting for about 2 hours, and Nicie didn't know how much more drinks she could have before blacking out. As she picked up another bottle Yug said. 'I think you've had enough Nickie. You're going to hurt yourself."  
Slurring her words Nickie said. 'You don't know nothin. Stop acting like you're doctor, or somethin. I was trained by countless people on the art of holding down your drink!"  
Yug shook his head. "Nickie two things: One: I am a Doctor, and two: You weren't trained for this." Yug sighed, and rested his head on the table. "This is tiresome. Why do we need to look for 'muscle' I mean you served 12 years in a brutal war, you should be all we need!"  
Nicie then said. "Ok two things Yug; One: we promise not to talk about my past, and two: My past career means nothing when we being shot at by a Heavy Cruiser."  
The table they sat at was meant for three, but the man who sat down in the third seat should probably get another one. Not for he's fat, but for the opposite.  
The large man seemed to be Human which caught Yug by surprise as he's HUGE, and Nicie just stared at her bottle wondering if she did in fact have too many drinks.  
The large man simply picked up one of the unopened bottles Nickie had ordered, and rank form it before saying (in a Russian accent). "This shit is no way ear a good as my Homeland's. It's like Nerf piss." He then drank the rest of the nearly full bottle in hone gulp. He then belthed, and looked at Nickie, then back to Yug, then to Nickie, to go back to looking at Yug. "Which one of you is Captain?"  
Yug then said, stumbling over his words. "Uh I am, but just who are you?"  
The man then started to laugh before saying. "Oh I almost forgot. How rude. "My Name is Rasputin, and heard you're looking for some muscle to hire."  
Nickie nodded. "Yup. He's Muscle alright." She then turned to Yug. "Do we take him?"  
Yug tapped his fingers on the table, and then said. "I don't know. I was thinking more in the line of a ship, not a large man, and-"  
"Rasputin as ship…. Well kinda."  
Yug rubbed his temples before saying. 'Let ,me guess… It's impounded somewhere, and we're going to have to help you break it out. Sorry Rasputin, but me, and my crewmate aren't into doing illegal-"  
"It's not impounded… Well shouldn't be. It's an experimental ship. Designed to be attached to any kind of medium freighter, of something along hier size, and turn it into a heavy gunship! Completely legal. You said you have problem with a Heavy Cruiser, well my ship will give you the armor, shields, and weapons needed to either fight them, or fight them long enough to escape."  
Nickie, and Yug exchanged looks, and then Nickie said. "What's your price big man?"  
Rasputin laughed again, and then said. "All I want is bed to sleep in, food to eat, and drink." He picked up one of the many empty bottles, and said. "Stuff that's stronger than this Nerf piss."  
Yug nodded. "Very well Rasputin. You're hired. Is there anyone else with you, of-"  
"No Rasputin is alone., and travel with lightly. We can leave whenever you wish… Captain."  
"PLease don't call me that. It's weird."  
Rasputin smiled. "Good. Cause I don't like calling small men that either."


	4. The planet called Restless

The Moonray hung above the planet "Restless". Nickie sat in the cockpit of the small freighter looking down on the planet. The door to the cockpit opened, and in walked Yug who was yelling at Rasputin, who was still the cargo hold.  
"No i'm not asking you to stack the crates cause im 'a lesser man' i'm asking you to do it cause it's what we're paying you to do!" He then closed the door on the sound of Rasputin laughing. He sat in the co-pilot's chair throwing a pair of leather gloves onto the console. "I really hate that man." Yug then slid down his chair, angrily grumbling.  
Nickie smirked. "You know he does it cause you overreact. Don't give him a reaction."  
Yug groaned loudly. "Easy for you to say, he doesn't bully you."  
"He tried to... at first."  
"what did you do? Ignore him?" Yug then chuckled.  
Nickie shook her head. "No. He told me I had to cook for him since I was a 'woman'."  
"What did you do? Punch him?" He then shot up, and said with excitement in his voice. "Please tell me you punched him in his big stupid face!"  
Before Nickie could respond Rasputin bursted into the room saying. "No, she poisoned my food!"  
The room was silent for a moment, then Yug started to laugh, soon followed by Nickie, and the Rasputin. They laughed for a good minute of two, and through the dying chuckle in Yug's throat he said "That was why you were sick for an entire week? You said it was because you drank to much hard liquor!"  
Rasputin nodded. "Da. I thought it was because I drank too much liquor, but when I was in the little men's room, puking my guts out, Nickie comes out of nowhere, leans reel close in, and said. 'I'm not you're women.' and handed me a small bottle that said 'danger, do not drink.' All the side effects listed on the bottle matched up perfectly, and I realized had been poisoned!" He then let out two quick chuckles.  
Yug looked to Nickie, and she nodded confirming it all. Yug then shook his head, and said. "Remind me not to pick on you."  
Nickie waved him off and said. "Nah, I find your 'picking on' really cute, like a small pup growling at a larger dog. Trying to act big and stuff!"  
Yug gave Nickie a dirty look, and Rasputin left the cockpit laughing again saying through the bursts of laughter "little pup."  
"why did you say that? Now he'll be calling me little pup forever!" Nickie was going to say something when a large ball of light shown from the planet below. Yug then said. "What in the name of Blob is that?"  
The smile on Nickie's face melted away as she knew right away what it was, and it brought back bad memories. She began to plot a new course out of the system as three more balls of light joined the first one, but Yug grabbed Nickie's shaking hand and said. "What's the matter? You usually don't shake like this unless-"  
"Unless I remember the war." She gazed back at the balls of light and said. "Those are nuclear blasts. Above the 100 kiloton size if my guess is right."  
Rasputin then burst back into the room, and said. "Guys! There's-"  
Yug then snapped at him saying. "Yes we know about the nuclear blasts, go back to drinking."  
Rasputin stared at Yug for a short second before saying. "First: What nuclear blast? Second: No you little pup, there's an Imperial Victory-Class Star Destroyer coming straight for us!"  
Nickie glanced at the comms control and said, "But we haven't been hailed…"  
Rasputin said. "Don't tell me that, tell that to the Imperials!"  
A beeping from the console caught Nickie's attention. She then said "They locked weapons on is!"  
Yug then shot to the comms trying to establish connection, but failing in the end. "I can't get through!"  
Rasputin then said. "Do we have a bad connection?"  
"No they keep terminating our attempts of contact!"  
Beeping came from the scanners, and Nickie said. "They've launched TIEs!"  
Without a word Rasputin ran for the guns, Yug stood up to follow, but stopped at the door to say. "Think you can fly?"  
Nickie smiled, and said. "We're just out running TIEs, nothing I can't handle, now go!" He nodded, and ran towards the guns. Two lights on a console piece Rasputin installed blinked on telling her that the Guns were online, and ready to fire.  
Nickie took the controls, and throttled the engines to full power, and the Moonray swung around just ax the first wave of TIEs made their runs with two being instantly shot down by the dorsal guns.  
Nickie piloted the Moonray away from the planet's gravity well so they could make the jump to hyperspace, but just as they came to the edge of the gravity well, an Imperial interdictor came out of hyperspace right in front of them, and Nickie took the Moonray into a sharp dive to avoid crashing into the larger vessel, but as she brought the Moonray around the other end of side of the Interdictor she say a large white circle on the two dorsal sides of the ship, not Imperial marking. She then had to check the Victory SD, and as she piloted the Moonray towards the large capital ship, Yug said over the comms "Nickie what are you doing!? We have to get away from these guys not go towards them!"  
Rasputin piped in. "I agree with little pup. We should flee, we don't have the firepower to take on that ship."  
Nickie yelled back. "I know, but nothing about these guys tactics make sense. Beside with that Interdictor we can't runaway!"  
"So you intend on charging the Victory?! You're going to get us killed!"  
"No, Yug you will get us killed if you keep talking and not shooting!" She then mumbled "I just need a quick glance, and we'll be good."  
She dove under the Victory to avoid its main guns, and right on the the two rear corners of the ship were the large white circles. Definitely not Imperials. Nickie then mumbled "Who are these guys?" When Rasputin said through the comms.  
"That Interdictor brought more TIEs to the party comrades! Tis bucket simply does not have enough gun, and the shields are taking a beating! We have to do something or we're going to be space dust!"  
Yug then chipped in. "He's right Nickie! We have to do something, either get rid of that interdictor, or get rid of the TIEs, and you better decide quickly!"  
Nickie eyed the planet. The balls of light were gone, but She could still make out were they occurred. "Get ready lads, I'm taking to the planet!"  
Yug then frightfully said. "You saw thuse nuclear blasts! We have no idea what's down there!"  
"Well it's either we die down there, of we die up here! At least down there we have a small chance of survival!" She than dove down to the planet at terminal velocity.  
The ship became a fireball as it screamed through the atmosphere and she heard Yug and Rasputin screaming in protest.  
She leveled the Moonray out and was caught off guard by the planet's bleak, and harsh landscape. The ground was littered with craters, and in several spots large fires roared, belching out hideous black clouds of smoke, and Nickie could only take it all in for a split second.  
In atmosphere the Moonray proved to be more maneuverable than the TIEs, and Nickie took full advantage of this, take sharp turns, and looping around behind the TIEs allowing Rasputin and Yug clear shots at them and soon they were the only thing still flying with all TIEs either destroyed or retreating back to the Star Destroyers.  
Nickie was flying around scanning the ground looking for somewhere to land when Yug and Rasputin entered the cockpit. Yug sat in the Copilot's chair slugging Nickie in the arm saying "Nice flying."  
Nickie smiled and said. "Thanks and nice shooting."  
Rasputin then said. "Hey now! I shot down like way more TIEs than little pup here."  
Nickie rose an eyebrow and said. "And how many did you shoot down?"  
Rasputin crossed his arms over his chest and proudly said. "Eight."  
Nickie took her eyes the landscape for a brief second to glance at Yug, telling him to say how many he shot down.  
Yug quickly glanced at Rasputin, and looked near embarrassed when he said. "Thirteen."  
Rasputin looked at Yug mouth open, but quickly shut it grumbling to himself as he sat in the seat behind Nickie.  
Yug then said. "What are you looking for?'  
"A place to land."  
Yug glanced around the landscape then said. "This place is ugly and unfriendly. Why do we want to land?"  
"Because we need to strategies. That interdictor, and that Victory can keep us grounded on this planet for as long as they wish, and I don't plan on staying here forever!"  
Rasputin then leaned past Nickie pushing her out of the way to her protest, but he just shoved past.  
"Raspu-"  
"Shh!" He hushed her pushing his finger against her lips as he pressed his big bearded face against the viewport, squinting at something far in the distant."  
Yug chuckled and said. "What you see your Mum out there?"  
He practically whispered. "I was grown in a vat." Not because he was embarred, but because he was so focused.  
This caught Yug by surprise. "Whta?" Rasputin did not reply still peering into the distant.  
Rasputin then signaled with his hand still against Nickie's face to stop and hover, which she did. They sat like that for a god half second when he shot back from the view port and said. "Oh. I should have let you keep going."  
Nicie, and Yug shared glances and said. "Why?"  
The ship then shook with a violence of an enraged Wampa, and began to spin out of control as it plummeted down to the survive, and with a bone shattering crash it landed.


	5. The planet called Restless II

As the sound of debri falling, the sound of the engines, and all other noise in the Moonray...stopped Nickie lifted her head off the ship's main console with button still shining, in fact everything seemed to survive the crash… except the main power, so no main lights. As Nickie turned her head left to see what has become of Yug a searing pain shot through her forehead, which by instinct her hand flew up to, and came back wet with blood. Looking at her blood covered hand she mumbled "Great i'm bleeding."

From Yug's spot next to her she heard him groan. "If that's all that's wrong with you, then count yourself lucky."

Nickie could barely see Yug, but with the light shining from the main console she could see a large laceration across his forehead, and his left arm looked broken. Nickie stood up, but her foot caught on something, and when she looked down to see what it was she saw Rasputin on the ground. Not wanting to injury him anymore then he might already be, she carefully stepped over the large man, and took a closer look at Yug's forehead. Yug's hand grabbed her, and she saw that he was shaking.

Through a small voice he said. "Medkkit… in my room… on shelf… large cut on my leg… bleeding… go."

Nickie nodded, and rushed for Yug's room, and instantly saw the medkit. With the medkit in hand she rushed back to the cockpit to see the large silhouette of Rasputtin bending over Yug whispering. "That's a pretty bad cut on your leg, but that tourniquet should help for now." Through the light she saw that Rasputin had Yug's chair spun around to face him, and his belt tied tightly around Yug's leg.

She walked in saying through a smile on her face. "Am I interrupting a bonding session?"

Rasputin turned around, which almost caused his pants to fall down. "No… Maybe… I don't know. Yug may be little pup, but lucky for him." He gives Yug a glance over his shoulder. "I like Pups. They be cute, so soft, and fun to pet. I would pet this pup, but I'm afraid he might break." He then started laughing, and even Yug was weakly laughing.

Yug then said. "Yeah screw you too." He then stretched his hand out to Nickie. "The Medkit please."

Nickie hesitantly walked forward saying. "Are you sure you don't want me to…"

Yug didn't even let her finish before saying. "I need to remove my pants, and under clothing, so unless you want to see-"

She then rushed over, and handed the medkit to Yug saying. "Nope here you go, don't want to see that thing out of your pants, nope, nope, nope, nope." She then hastily left the room.

Rasputin looked down at Yug with a half smile saying. "So that's why you're a virgin."

Yug stopped momentarily, and said. "What?"

Rasputin then said. "As soon as you start taking your pants off 'nope, nope, nope, nope' it's comical!" he chuckled as he said it, but then bursted out laughing.

Medkit in hand, and with the cold chair cushion on his buns, Yug said. "Hate to break it to you big man, but I'm not a virgin, and I even have a Son to prove it to you when he decides to visit that is."

"Really? You don't look old enough to have a child."

"How old do I look?"

A brief pause and then Rasputin said. "I don't know, early 20s maybe mid 20s. I know some at that age have kids, but that's because they make bad life choices, but you don't look the kind to make bad life choices."

Yug finished stitching the large cut on his thigh, and began to bandage it as he said. "Trust me Rasputin even when we don't look the part we still make bad life choices. You think I'd rather be here, then back home with my family?"

"No, no. I know dat, it's just you look too smart for it… How old are you?"

"I'm older than you I can tell you that for sure."

Rasputin chuckled as if it was funny. "Really."

"I'm 56." Yug finished bandaging his thigh, and began the process of re-clothing himself.

Rasputin looked at Yug in mis-belief. "You so do not look it."

Yug buttoned his pants as he said. "How old are you?"

Rasputin crossed his arms, and proudly said. "I am 53 standard years old comrade. Not as old the fossil that is you, but old enough to know a galaxy without the Empire. I even remember the Clone Wars."

Yug tested his injured leg seeing if he could possibly apply any weight to it, but even an ounce of weight caused him pain. "I think we all do. They were troubling times. My son called it 'The three years from hell,' and I had to agree with him, now his son wants to study the war. His son is only 17, and has a good head on him."

Rasputin sat in the pilot's chair across from Yug, and said. "So not only are you a father, but a grandfather at that. How old is your boy?"

Yug took a moment to think on it, which caused him some heart ache, but he then said. "He'd be about… 38."

Rasputin let out a bellowing laugh slapping Yug on the shoulder. "You were only 18 when you had a kid? How desperate was she?" Rasputin then slapped his knee laughing.

Yug cracked a smile. "She would say very, but I know she wasn't. It just… happened and we rolled with it… as we did other things… Besides a man like you must had been far younger than I when he had his first meal."

Rasputin nodded. "Da. I was only 15, and a meal she was indeed. I can't even begin to describe it!"

"Good."

The main lights then flickered on, and after a brief sound a boot heels clicking against the metal floor Nickie knocked saying. "Is it away?"

Rasputin said. "Like you could have told a difference."

Yug then yelled. "Rasputin!... Yes Nickie I'm clothed."

Nickie slowly entered the room. "Good." She glanced at his leg, and on the left thigh was a large bloody tear in the pant leg, and under the red stained clothing she could make out the white of a bandage. She smiled, and nodded to herself, and walked up to the cockpit port view. "I checked the rest of the ship, no hull preaches, all systems appear to be in order, engines might need a slight repair but i'd need to go outside to get a better look. I'll need an environment suit, scanners show this planet to be very deadly for us air breathers."

Yug nodded. "Good. We'll fix her up, and blast off this rock."

Rasputin then commented. "Not before we figure a way past those cruisers!'  
"Right."

While still looking through the window Nickie said "What did you guys talk about?"

Yug, and Rasputin shared a glance, and said in rhythm, "Nothing."

Nickie glared at them, but returned to window watching. "I wonder why they call this planet 'Restless'."

Yug shrugged. "Maybe because of the storms that never seem to go away?"

Rasputin Then said. "Of maybe it has to do with who ever shot that missile at us."

Yug, and Nickielooked at Rasputin, and Nickie walked over to the chair behind Rasputin and dropped in it groaning. "We can't catca break can we?! First we run into pirates with Imperial cruisers, and now there's someone on the planet wishing us harm!"

Rasputin was now at the window when he said. "I don't think it's a someone, but a something."

Nickie, and Yug pressed themselves against the window, and saw a Tank, a Military tank, a droid tank by the look, no model she ever saw and it wasn't lone. It moved with an entire herd of the same type of tank! Crawling around the crashed Moonray like a river around a rock.

Yug then said. "I think I now know why the planet's called 'Restless'."

"Why?"

"Because it has a war that never rests."

That was when everything exploded.


	6. The planet called Restless III

They were safe within the MoonRay's walls, but that couldn't stop the ground from shaking as missiles, blaster cannons, and other forms of ordinances exploded all around.

Rasputin and Yug seemed entranced by the whole ordeal, but Nickie was keeping far away from the window. She would leave the cockpit all together and got to her room to hide under the covers, but she didn't want to be alone. Company helped keep her cool, so she sat in the passenger seat behind Rasputin heaving the chair swiveled around so her back was facing the window."

Rasputin let out a sharp whistle and said. "Damn. I don't see a single living being fighting out there, and none of their vehicles look to be designed for living people. They can't all be droids can they?"

Yug responded. "Remember the Clone Wars. The Separatist had trillions of Droids, so it's not that hard to imagine."

Rasputin nodded. "Yeah that's true, but thouse droids were fighting against the Clones, and it was Galactic wide. This is only one planet."

Nickie brought her knees up to her chest and said. "Could it be Clone Wars era Droids? I mean there surely were plenty of of them left over after the war…" For some reason when she said that she got an image of Gazer, the B1 Battle Droid that was in her second squad, named so since it seemed to be always gazing into the distance.

Rasputin shook his head and said. "Nah. None of those droids, or droid tanks match any models the Separatist used the foot soldiers look more like… skeletal Humans. Like they're Human skeletons, but a little bulkier, and I can clearly see wires."

Yug moved away from the window and sat back in the co-pilot's chair resting his wounded leg onto the passenger seat that's behind his. "As long as they leave us alone I'm fine with what they look like. My time in the Clone Wars made me immune to gross of disturbing images of war."

Rasputin looked back at Yug and clicked his tongue before saying. "We're are just learning all kinds of things about you today aren't we?" Yug only shrugged and Rasputin weant back to watching the battle.

Nickie then said. "So… Who's going to fix the ship's engines?"

"I thought you were?"

She then yelled at Rasputin. "I'm not going out there with that going on!"

Rasputin raised his hands. "Fine. I say we just let this battle die out, and when it's all clear then we decide who's going out there."

Yug then suggested. "Why don't you go out there mister big, and mean?"

Rasputin chuckled. "I may be big and mean, but I'm not stupid. That's some heavy shit out there." He then sat back in the Pilot's chair. "So I'm going to sit here and wait it out."

The battle continued on for a solid six more hours. Rasputin and Yug passed the time by sleeping. Not Nickie though. She couldn't sleep, she was to wired, to alert. Her heart was racing and it took all she had from ducking under her chair, to get as many layers between her and the rest of the world.

When the battle was over Nickie jabbed Rasputin awake. "Rasputin...Rasputin!"

He then woke, his eyes sluggishly opening. He then rubbed his eyes and let out a large yawn. "What? Is the battle over?" He then looked out the window and the total silence answered his question. "Do you want me to go outside to check the engines?"

Nickie shook her head. "No… But I want you to come with me."

Rasputin groaned and stood up, and started making his way towards the airlock with Nickie on his heals.

As they got their environment suits on Rasputin noted that Nickie was acting up. She was shaking so much that she took longer than usual to get her suit on and she had this wild look in her eyes, like that some unseen danger could come leaping out from any directions. He decided to keep a closer eye on her. Who knew what was eating away in her gut, and who knew what she will do.

The airlock outer door opened with a hiss and Rasputin was the first to step out, and right as soon as he placed his weight on the ground he lost his footing and fell. He groaned in annoyance and instinctively raised his hand to rub the back of his head, but the helmet blocked him.

Nickie then said from the airlock entrance. "Are you alright?"

Rasputin stood up dusting himself off before saying. "Da. Just lost my footing when I stepped on…" He then saw what exactly he slipped on, it wa the head from one of those skeleton droids. He then noticed the entire barren landscapes was covered in the remains of the wrecked hulks of droids, and droid vehicles stretching on for hundreds of kilometers in every direction. "Damn. That battle was bigger than I thought."

Nicke was already heading for the rear of the ship watching her footsteps as she said. "Come one Rasputin! I want off this planet as soon as possible!"

Rasputin sighed and followed after making sure not to slip again.

Once they could see the engines Nickie got to work checking them over and groaning when he found a problem. She instantly go busy fixing it, and it wasn't long when she said. "Rasputin, I forgot my tool belt in the airlock, be a dear and fetch it for me?"

Rasputin saluted Nickie and said. "Right away boss."

Once back in the airlock it didn't take him long to find her tool belt and the outer airlock door opened when he heard Nickie scream.

Rasputin ran for the rear of the ship, and when he got there he saw Nickie being pinned down by three of the Skeleton droids, with two of them standing there, watching.

The two droids that were watching took notice of Rasputin, and even though he knew they were just droids, the look they gave him made his stomach turn as they aimed their blaster ait him and opened fire.

Rasputin was able to dodge their shot easily enough, and with his bare hands he tore off the head of the closer of the two and chucked it at the other with enough force in it's chest to completely destroy it. Rasputin then picked up the one that was pinning Nickie down, and snapped it over his knee, breaking it's back, and with it's back bent and damaged he tore the droid in half dropping the two halfs. The upper part was still alive so he dropped his heavy foot on the droid's head, and possibly breaking two of his own toes in the process, but he walked it off. He'll be fine in an hour or so. He then helped Nickie up. "You ok?"

Nickie looked freaked, the wild look in her eyes was clearly visible, and he could see tears running down her cheeks, but she nodded and said. "Another day in paradise… Do you have my tools?"

Rasputin nodded, and picked he bag of tolls up from where he dropped it and handed it to her. As she got back to work Rasputin said. "Will you be alright for a little bit?"

She then sounded frantic when she said. "Where are you going?"

He smiled and said. "My special toy." He could tell that she did not want to be alone so he gestured with his chin for her to follow, and as he headed back to the airlock he heard her walking basically on his heals.

Once back in the airlock Rasputin opened a heavy locker that he had specially placed there. When he opened it's doors he heard Nickie gasp, and said. "Nice toys."

Rasputin nodded. "Yes comrade. Nice toys indeed." He then grabbed the biggest of them all, the M-10 MK.152, heavy blaster cannon issued and designed specifically for him and only him. "Don't worry my small friend. You won't have to worry about those nasty droids any more."


End file.
